This blog is provided to the world as a place for me to discuss data, Big Data and the technology which surrounds it. Specifically it looks at data warehousing and the use of Data Lakes. This is how I see how data has evolved over time. It will look at databases, data clusters, design, usage, quality,implementation, education and any other topics that interests me and you.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Bricks and Mortar Transform to Data and the Internet

Today we look at the transformation that retail is under. We
experience it every day of our modern lives.Unfortunately there are those who do not make it. Target
Canada announced last week that they planned to close their Canadian
operations. They had significantly under-performed in Canada and as a result
they are closing all of their stores. In addition Sony
will be doing the same and other have like Mexx and others.

Is the reason that these stores are closing due to the
economy? Are they due to the miscalculation of what the Canadian consumer
desired? Maybe. I look at it a different way. I believe that the way we consume
today is different and as a result the bricks and mortar companies of today
need to transform as well. You can look to the Internet to see what we need one
needs to provide. You need to have an experience that bridges the online and
offline experiences. Consider that Target opened over 100 new stores in Canada
but yet they lacked an online website. It is not rocket science. Today I begin
my shopping on the web and then decide if I will venture to a store to have a
hands-on experience where I can now compare product to the others in the store
or I purchase it online. When a company does not even have an eCommerce site I
am already looking elsewhere.

Our almost unlimited access to information means that the
shopping experience must address the customer experience from both in-person
and online. In a world where data is king and information is power companies
and retailers specifically need to provide both experiences to truly embrace a
customer. The information you can then gather about your customers and their
habit allow companies to exceed the declining traditional business model. All
retailer in today’s digital society must provide the service and use the information
to drive business and drive value or the bell will ring for them just as it has
for Target in Canada.

About Me

Ian Abramson is based in Toronto, Canada and is the Lead Data Architect for Walmart Canada. Ian’s focus is to help enable data driven decisions through Master Data Management, Business Intelligence and Data Science . Ian has written numerous books on both Oracle and data warehousing and is a frequent presenter at Oracle and industry conferences and seminars. He is the co-author of the Oracle Database 12c Beginner’s Guide (McGraw-Hill Osborne Media, 2014). Ian is an Oracle ACE specialized in Big Data, BI and Data Warehousing.